Apparatus for making helical brush means



Aug. 2, 1966 E. JONES APPARATUS FOR MAKING HELICAL BRUSH MEANSSheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed June 27, 1961 M I/0 23/ III ar-E v a7INVENTOR.

LLOYD E. JONES WM gyg Aug. 2, 1966 E. JONES APPARATUS FOR MAKING HELICALsnusn MEANS Original Filed June 27, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. LL0Y0 If. rim/Es 7M222 gyu flrramvs Y5.

Aug. 2, 1966 L. E. JONES APPARATUS FOR MAKING HELICAL BRUSH MEANS 5Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed June 27, 1961 INVENTOR. E (TO/V55 firTORNE ys 3,264,035 APPARATUS FOR MAKING HELICAL BRUSH MEANS Lloyd E.Jones, Arcadia, Calif., assignor to Industrial Brush Company, Arcadia,Calif., a corporation of California Original application June 27, 1961,Ser. No. 119,869, now Patent No. 3,193,865, dated July 13, 1965. Dividedand this application Mar. 26, 1965, Ser. No. 442,926 11 Claims. (Cl.300-2) This is a divisional application of application Serial No.119,869 filed June 27, 1961 by Lloyd E. Jones, now Patent No. 3,193,865,issued July 13, 1965.

This invention relates to a means for making a brush means havingradially extending layers of bristles disposed in a helical arrangement,such brush means having utility in street and industrial sweepingapplications. The invention more particularly relates to an apparatusadapted to use a pre-assembled brush strip means of known constructionand heretofore utilized in only straight line brush strip installations.

Various brush constructions have been proposed wherein the bristles arearranged in helical fashion about a brush core member. Initially suchprior proposed brush means included a core member provided with anexternal threadlike groove therein in which bristles were laid and thenretained by a continuous wire or cable element placed across saidbristles and in said groove and then tightened to retain the bristles.Later brush constructions of helical type included a similar core memberhaving external grooves in which a brush strip was wound, the brushstrip including a channel form member holding a layer of folded bristlesretained in the channel form member by a wire element. This brush stripconstruction was very suitable when used in straight line installationsbut when such a strip was curved to provide a helical or radial typebrush means various problems arose. These problems were met by priorproposed brush constructions as shown in Patents 1,963,044, 1,963,045,2,303,386 and 2,755,400. In each instance the problem was attempted tobe met by modifying the brush strip construction as the brush strip wasformed as by providing inwardly directed teeth or protuberances tooverlie and to contact the retaining element so that the retainingelement would be held in fixed relation to the channel form brush stripmember. After this was accomplished the specially constructed brushstrip was then formed into a circle, a helix, or a spiral.

Some of the problems encountered in the making and forming of a brushstrip means of helical form where the layers of bristles extend radiallyfrom a brush core member and from a brush strip member wound into ahelix include the loosening of the bristles in relation to the retainingelement and the brush strip base member. When a pre-assembled knownbrush strip is wound into a circle or into helical form the side wallsof the channel form base member are stretched, the outer longitudinaledges of said side walls being stretched the maximum and as a result thecrimping pressure previously imparted to the side walls during formingof the brush strip was reduced and substantially relaxed. Thus thebristles after winding into a circle were not as tightly held in thechannel form brush strip base member and during sweeping were relativelyrapidly loosened. In use the loosening of the bristles with respect tothe retaining element and the base strip member is caused by constantworking of each bristle as it engages a surface being swept and flexesin a direction generally longitudinally with respect to the elongatedbrush strip base member. Such constant flexing in such directionproduces wear of the bristle filament at its contact with the retainingelement and since such cylin- United States Patent Patented August 2,1966 ice drical brush means are usually rotated at a relatively rapidrate the bristles are subjected to a combination of flexing andcentrifugal forces that may soon cause sufiicient wear so that bristlefilaments are thrown out of the brush means.

The material of the brush bristle or filament also affects this problem.With natural brush filaments the surface and texture of the naturalfilament which were relatively non-slippery tended to reduce the effectof such action. However natural filaments are becoming more difiicult toobtain and synthetic bristle filaments which have characteristics ofgreater life and other desirable features are being used in suchsweeping applications. Synthetic brush bristles or filaments are quitesmooth and slippery and as a result are more difiicult to hold andretain in a brush strip base member.

The present invention therefore contemplates a means for making ahelical brush means which includes advantages not found in the priorproposed brush constructions and methods of making such priorconstructions While at the same time providing a helical brush means inwhich the brush filaments are securely retained and held.

The apparatus of the present invention contemplates, as one example, theusing of a preformed pre-assembled brush strip means including a brushstrip base member in which bristles are held by a wire retainer elementand in which side walls of the base member have been subjected to usualcontinuous crimping in order to retain the bristles, base member andretainer element in assembly. Such a strip is of a construction whichmay normally be used in straight line brush strip installations. Theapparatus of the present invention contemplates continuously feedingsuch a brush strip means in a straight linear path and then directingthe brush strip means into a selected helical path having apredetermined radius of curvature. After the brush strip means has movedalong said helical path for a selected distance during which the sidewalls of the base strip member have been stretched the side walls areinwardly indented at spaced intervals to delineate groups of bristles.After the indenting has been performed the brush strip means is furtherdirected along the selected curved path to form a helical brush means.Thus the apparatus of the present invention forms indentations in sidewalls of the base member and imparts restraining forces longitudinallydirected with respect to the base member to the groups of bristles sothat each bristle or filament in the group is held against radialoutward movement by the retainer element and is held and restrainedagainst longitudinal displacement by the indentations.

An object of the invention is to disclose and provide a novel apparatusfor making a helical brush construction.

Another object of the invention is to disclose and provide an apparatusfor making a helical brush construction wherein indenting of a brushstrip base member is performed while the brush strip means iscontinuously moved in a curved path.

Still another object of this invention is to disclose and provide ameans for making a helical brush means wherein jaw elements are actuatedin timed relation to the rate of movement of the brush strip means forindenting the brush strip base member at selected spaced intervals.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for makinga helical brush means wherein a crimping jaw assembly is pivotallymounted and resiliently limitedly restrained for limited movement in thedirection of travel of a brush strip means.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a crimping orstaking jaw assembly in which jaw members receive therebetween thebristle layer of a brush strip and wherein means are provided forpreventing entangle ment of bristle layers of the helical turn adjacentthe brush strip being fed to the jaw assembly.

An important object of the invention is to provide an apparatus whereinwalls of a brush strip member are first stretched to a desiredconfiguration and wherein after stretching said walls are indented atspaced intervals to positively retain brush filaments in the brush stripmember and to hold defined groups of filaments between said indentationsagainst movement longitudinally of the brush strip member.

Another important object of this invention is to disclose a helicalbrush means wherein the core member thereof is provided with meansadjacent each end of the core member cooperative with the spacedindentations and bristles to lock and hold the core member againstdisplacement relative to the base member of the brush strip means.

Various other objects and advantages of the present invention will bereadily apparent to those skilled in the art from the followingdescription of the drawings which show an embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan View of an apparatus embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken from the plane indicated byline II--II of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken in the plane indicated byline IIIIII of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken in the plane indicated byline IVIV of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view taken in the same plane as FIG. 4 showingthe jaw members in crimping relation.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the jaw ends of the crimpingmeans shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken in the plane indicated by line VIIVIIof FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken in the plane indicated by lineVIII-VIII of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary end sectional view of a helical brush means madeaccording to this invention.

Generally speaking an apparatus embodying the present invention isindicated at 15 and may generally comprise a frame means 16, a mandrelcarriage 17, a rotatable mandrel 18 on said carriage 17, drive means 19for the carriage, and a crimping or staking means 20 at one side offrame means 16 and opposite to the feed path of a preformed,pre-assembled brush strip means 45. The staking means 20 generallyincludes a jaw assembly 21 extending towards mandrel 18, actuating means22 for said jaw assembly, and stationary support means 23 for saidcrimping means.

The frame means 16 may include structural frame members suitablyarranged to form an open framework and to provide spaced parallellongitudinally extending rail members 30 provided with inverted V-typetracks 31. Tracks 31 may extend for the length of frame means 16 andsufiicient to permit movement of carriage 17 in either direction withrespect to the staking means 20 for making helical brush means havingturns in either right or left direction.

The mandrel carriage 17 may include a rectangular frame 33 includinglongitudinally extending side members 34 interconnected by transverseend members 35 and intermediate transverse members 36. Side members 34may be of channel section and adjacent each end may be provided with anoutwardly extending horizontal bracket 37 having a depending leg 38 inwhich is rotatably mounted a wheel 39 for rolling engagement with track31. Centrally and extending longitudinally between intermediatetransverse members 36 may be rotatably supported by hearing means 40 themandrel 18 of selected outer diameter. The mandrel 18 may comprise asmooth surfaced cylindrical wall provided with a spider member 41 ateach end, for carrying a mandrel shaft 42. At each end, the mandrel maybe provided with a clamp 43 for connection with one end of a brush stripmeans 45 which is to be formed into a helical brush means, only oneclamp 43 being used during the forming of the brush means.

Means for driving the carriage 17 and for rotating the mandrel 18 inselected timed relation may comprise an extension 46 of mandrel shaft 42for connection with a sprocket 4-7 driven by chain 48 through a pinionsprocket 49 connected through a gear box 50 to a suitable motor 51. Theshaft extension 46 may extend beyond the end frame member 35 forconnection through a suitable gear system schematically indicated at 53to a pinion drive gear 54 which engages rack teeth 55 carried by andbeneath the side frame members 34 of the carriage 17. Gear ratios are soselected that mandrel 18 will be driven at a selected rate of rotationwhile the carriage is moved in one direction by the pinion gear 54 andrack teeth 55 at a predetermined relatively slow linear rate of speed.

The crimping or staking means 20 may comprise a support fname means 60which may be fixedly secured to frame means 16 or which may be astationary separate stand or support located adjacent the frame means 16at intermediate ends thereof. In this example the support means 60 maybe connected to the frame means 16. Provision may be made for locationof the support means 60 adjacent one or the other end of the frame means16 depending upon the length of the helical brush means to be made. Inthis example, the central location of the support means 60 permitsmovement of mandrel 18 on the carriage 17 in either longitudinaldirection while a brush strip is being wound therearound.

The jaw assembly 21 may be pivotallly sup-ported from the support means60 by a pivot shaft 61 carried in bearing means 62 secured to the tophorizontal surface of the support means 60. The jaw assembly 21 includesvertically spaced rigidly interconnected horizontally extending jawsupport members 64 and 65, the outer edge portions of each jaw supportmember 64 having connection with the pivot shaft 61. A compressionspring 66 supported by support means 60 intermediate ends of the jawmembers 64 normally holds the jaw assembly 21 in selected position withthe jaw members 64 and 65 disposed below and above a horizontal planepassing through the axis of the mandrel 18. Adjacent their inner freeends, sets of members 64 and 65 are provided interconnecting verticalpll-ates 68 and parallel vertically disposed pivot pins 69 are providedadjacent said plates. An elongated jaw member 70 is pivotally mounted oneach pin 69 and extends between jaw support elements 64 and 65 and inparallel relation thereto.

The crimping or staking means 21 further includes jaw crimping orstaking elements 71 fixed to the inner end of jaw members 70 and inclose spaced relation to the cylindrical surface of mandrel 18. As bestseen in FIG. 5 each jaw element 71 may include a crimping face 72disposed at a selected angle with respect to the axis of the jaw member70 and adapted to pressure engage the upper longitudinal margin of abrush strip metal base member 73 to impress or indent oppositelydisposed protuberances or indentations 74, FIG. 6. Each jaw element 71and crimping face 72 may be made of suitable hardened material and mayhave any selected shape or configuration. In this example the jaw orcrimping face 72 may be generally rectangular with its length extendinglaterally Oif the base member 73 so as to provide radially or laterallydirected indentations in the side walls 96 of the brush strip member 73.

The opposite end of each jaw member 70 may extend into proximity withpivot shaft 61 and may carry cam follower means, in this example, afreely rotatable roller or wheel 75. Beneath wheels 75 and on the bottomjaw support members 64 may be provided a transverse cross slide 76having a top face 77 upon which the bottom surfaces of the outer ends ofjaw members 70 may be slidably' supported. A spring 78 adjacent crossslide 76 biases the jaw members towards open position.

Means for alternately opening and closing jaw members 70 by pivotalmovement about their axes 69 may include an elongated cam member 80disposed between cam rollers 75. Cam member 80 has a selectivelyconfigured cam edge face 81 for actuation of the jaw members 70. Camedge face 81 includes a cam tface portion 81a for closing jaw elements71 for applying crimping pressure in a relatively steady manner. Maximumcrimping pressure occurs at points P spaced apart a maximum distance onthe elongated cam member. Immediately after point P, cam face portion81b rapidly positively opens the jaw elements 71 and permits release andwithdrawal of elements 71 from the indentations. Thus the cam memberquickly disengages the jaw members 70 from the brush strip base member73. The cam member 80 may be mounted on a vertical shaft 82 dependingfrom a gear reduction means generally indicated at 83 which is connectedby a suitable drive means 84 to a motor 85. The gear reduction means 83selected so that the cam member 80 will rotate at selected revolutionsper minute correlated with the linear rate of advancement of the brushstrip means 45 on the mandrel so as to provide indentations at selectedspaced intervals along the brush strip member 73.

The crimping means 20, as noted 'above, is supported on pivot shaft 61and compression spring 66. Downward movement of jaw elements 71 when incrimping contact with a brush strip member may thus be provided during acrimping operation. To facilitate return of the means 20 to normalposition, an upstanding post 87 may be provided on support means 23,said post being connected to one end of a tension return spring 88 whichis connected at its other end at 89 to crimping means 20 adjacent motor22.

It will thus be noted that the tension spring 88 and the compressionspring 66 resiliently and yieldably hold the jaw assembly 21 in aselected generally horizontal position on the pivot shaft 61. Theassembly is normally biased upwardly by springs 66 and 88 and is limitedin upward movement by contact of the top face of member 65 by a stopelement 92 carried at the upper end of a bar 93 which is secured in anysuitable manner to the support frame means 23.

The brush strip means 45 which is to be formed into a helical brushmeans may comprise brush strip base member 73 of U-section or channelsection having side walls 96 between which may be held bristles or brushfilaments 97 of selected length by a wire retainer element 98. The brushstrip member 73 is made of a metal material which is relativelymalleable and soft. The manufacture of such a brush strip means is wellknown and normally comprises laying a strip of flat metal stock on aconveying means and while the strip is advanced bristles or brushfilaments 97 are laid thereacross and the wire element 98 is then laidon top of the center portion of the bristles. As this assembly isadvanced the side walls 96 are bent and curved upwardly to form theU-section and are then subjected to a continuous crimping action alonglongitudinal margins which causes the side walls to firmly grasp andfrictionally hold bristles 97 in the brush strip member 73. Just aftersuch a brush strip is so formed it may be fed in a linear straight lineof travel to the mandrel as indicated in FIG. 2 and the lead end may besecured against movement relative to the mandrel by the clamp 43.

In practicing the method of this invention the machine which forms thebrush strip may be operated so as to advance such a pre-assembled,preformed brush strip means to mandrel 18. As the brush strip means 45advances at a selected rate of travel the mandrel 18 is rotated so thatthe peripheral speed of the mandrel cylindrical surface is at leastequal to or slightly greater than the speed of of advancement of thebrush strip means 45. As mandrel 18 is rotated the brush strip means 45is caused to bend around the surface of the mandrel and after it hasbeen turned approximately it will be apparent that the side walls 96 ofthe strip base member 73 will have been longitudinally stretched withthe greatest stretching occurring at the longitudinal free edges of theside walls. It will be apparent that such stretching of side walls 96has a tendency to loosen the crimping pressure engagement of the sidewalls with the brush bristles 97. Such stretching will be completedduring 90 turning of the mandrel and at approximately this point the jawmembers 70 receive therebetween the layer of bristles 97 and areactuated in timed relation with the turning of the mandrel so that thejaw elements 71 will indent or crimp the side Walls 96 at preselectedspaced intervals along their length. Thus such crimping or identing ofthe side walls 96 after maximum stretching has occurred will tend toprovide longitudinally arranged groups of bristles which are restrainedWithin the base member 73 not only by some of the initial crimpingpressure imparted to the side walls, but also primarily by theindentations formed therein by jaw elements 71 after turning on themandrel. When such indentations are formed at spaced intervals ofapproximately one-half to one inch it will be apparent that flexing ofbristles 97 during operation will not produce loosening of the bristlesand they will be held firmly therein.

As the brush strip 45 continues its path around the mandrel 18 andreaches a point approximately diametrically opposite to the jaw elements71 a pressure roller 100 urges the brush strip 45 in an axial directionso as to displace it somewhat from the plane in which the advancingstraight brush strip contacts the mandrel at the top thereof. Part ofthis axial displacement is also effected by the advancement of thecarriage 17 by the rack and pinion drive means. The pressure roller 100may be carried by an upstanding member 101 secured in suitable manner tothe frame means 16. The member 101 may be extended upwardly beyond thelevel of the incoming brush strip 45 and provides a connection for atransversely extending suitably configured or bent bristle deflectormember 102 which ex tends across the top of the mandrel and which may bereleasably connected at 103 to member 101. At its opposite end thedeflector member 102 may be pivotally connected at 104 to an upstandingsupport member 105 carried by a frame member of the frame means 16. Thusas the brush strip means 45 completes one turn about the mandrel andsuccessive turns, the bristles 97 thereof are deflected away from theincoming brush strip means 45 so as to not interfere with the bristlesthereof. As the mandrel continues to rotate to provide additional turnsof the brush strip means 45 on the mandrel the carriage is progressivelyadvanced by the carriage drive means including the rack and pinion means54 and 55 so that the formed turns are continually moved away from Zoneof operation of the jaw elements 71.

After a selected number of turns have been made on the mandrel the brushstrip means 45 may be cut adjacent the top of the mandrel or adjacentthe point of tangency of the fed brush strip means with the mandrel andthe helical brush means removed from the mandrel by sliding the same offone end of the mandrel 18. To facilitate such removal frame member 36which supports one of the mandrel shaft bearing means 40 may bepivotally connected at to one side frame 34 and be releasably connectedat 111 by a stud and slot connection to the opposite side frame 34. Themandrel shaft may include a coupling 112 of well known form which upondisassembly will permit the frame member 36 to be moved to one side toallow unobstructed removal of the helical brush means. The mandrel 18may be supported by other means, such as a sling, during this removaloperation.

The helical brush means thus formed may be then associated with a brushcore member provided with an external threaded or spiral groove bysimply feeding the helical brush means onto the threaded core memberwhile the core is rotated. After the helical brush means has beencompletely threaded on the core memberone end of the brush strip meansmay be secured thereto. The other end of the brush strip means may besecured to the core member in suitable manner after the core member hasbeen slightly further rotated in order to tighten the helical brushstrip in the threadlike grooves by reducing the internal diameter of thehelical brush means.

It should be noted that the arrangement of the bristles 97 in the brushstrip base member 73 is such that the indentations not only provideopposed inwardly extending indentations or protuberances in side walls96 of the base member 73 but that they also press against those portionsof the bristles which lie within the base member 73. The protuberancesare preferably provided adjacent the longitudinal edges of the sidewalls 96 and terminate in spaced relation to the retainer element 98.Tightly compressed between the protuberances and retainer element 98 maybe one or more bristle portions which firmly lock and fix the bristlesin the base strip member 73. Such longitudinally spaced firmly lockedbristle'portions provide fixed retainer means which hold each group ofbristles from longitudinal displacement relative to the base stripmember.

It will be understood that when natural brush filaments are used theresiliency of the natural filament will assist in maintaining thefilament portions looped about the retainer element 98 in immovablerelation with the brush strip base member 73. Brush filaments made ofplastic material are virtually non-compressible and are tightly crimpedin the base member 73 before the strip reaches the coiling mandrel 8. Ithas been found that as the base member initially turns around themandrel the filaments tend to fan out and are somewhat loosened.Preferably it is at this point that the base member is indented by thestaking means of this invention so that the filaments are more or lessformed into groups and tightened in the base member 73. It will beunderstood that the manner and time of placing the indentations in thestrip base member 73 in accordance with the present invention preventsany further loosening of the bristle filaments and that suchindentations by preventing any relative movement between the filamentsand the base member during sweeping thereby virtually eliminates wear ofthe filament in the base member.

It will also be understood that while the formation of the indentationshas been exemplarily accomplished by the crimping jaws described above,other means may be used to indent the base member 73. For example, suchindentations during coiling of the brush strip may be formed by asuitable arrangement of toothed wheels or ears. g It will be noted thatas the brush strip means is fed to and turned around the mandrel thewire element 98 may also be somewhat stretched and tends to more firmlygrasp the folded portions of the bristles within the base member 73.Since this tends to tension the element 98 it is sometimes desirable toclose the ends of the brush strip member after the helical brush meanshas been formed by overfolding a side wall or bottom wall of the basemember. The end of the wire retainer element may be secured to suchclosure end as by brazing or welding.

Since in a sweeping operation the brush filaments flex upon contact witha surface and then return to normal position, impact forcesintermittently transmitted in one direction by the filaments to the coremember 98 may tend to produce a ratchet-like effect on the core memberwhich may ultimately produce longitudinal displacement of the coremember relative to the strip member 73. Means to prevent suchdisplacement may include an enlarged lock element 120 of relative-1ysoft metal material bonded as by brazing, welding or soldering to thecore member in spaced relation to each end thereof before the core isassembled with the brush filaments and base member. Thus when the brushstrip means is formed and then directed over the mandrel and crimped,the spaced indentations 74, the enlarged lock element 120, and thefilaments 97 compressed therebetween coact to positively lock the coremember in the base member. Such locking action will occur whether thelock element is located immediately at the indentations or between theindentation since the length of the lock element is preferably at leastone-half the distance between indentations. The soft metal of the lockelement may partially deform during crimping if it is located at theindentations and further interlock the core member, filaments, and basemember. It will be understood that the core member with locking elementsat each end is not required to be precisely positioned relative to thebase member in assembly of the brush strip means because of the abovedescribed action of the locking element.

It will be noted that a helical brush means formed as above describedand assembled with a core member will afford a cylindrical brush havinggroups of brush filaments which provide an arrangement of bristle endsparticularly effective for a sweeping operation. The amount of brushfilaments per unit length of the strip may be reduced because of themutual lateral support of the filaments in each group during sweeping;in some instances the amount of filament material may be reduced inhalf.

Various modifications and changes may be made in the means and methoddescribed above, and all such changes and modifications coming withinthe scope of the appended claims are embraced thereby.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for continuously forming a brush means includinghelically disposed brush strip means comprising: a rotatable mandrelmeans adapted to be fed a preformed brush strip means for winding of thebrush strip means therearound; indentation forming means at one side ofsaid mandrel means and including a pair of opposed jaw elements adjacentsaid brush strip means and spaced from the initial point of contact ofsaid brush strip means with said mandrel means; means pivotally mountingsaid jaw elements for crimping movement 1n a longitudinal direction withrespect to said mandrel means; means pivotally mounting the jaw elementsfor movement in unison in the direction of travel of the brush stripmeans; and means for intermittently actuating said aw elements forindenting said brush strip means at spaced intervals.

2. An apparatus as stated in claim 1 including spaced arms carrying saidjaw elements at corresponding ends thereof; and cam means at oppositeends of said arms for alternately moving said jaw elements towards andaway from each other.

3. An apparatus as stated in claim 2 wherein said arms are 111 spacedrelation throughout their length and define a space for receptiontherein of a layer of bristles carried by said brush strip means.

4. An apparatus for continuously forming a brush means including ahelically disposed brush strip means and for crimping a preformedcontinuously traveling brush strip means having a bristle layerextending therefrom, comprising: a frame means; a crimping jaw assemblypivotally mounted on the frame means for limited pivotal movement in thedirection of travel of a brush strip means, said jaw assembly including:jaw members in spaced relation to receive therebetween a bristle layer;jaw indentation elements at one end of each jaw member; pivot means foreach jaw member adjacent said one end; and means adjacent the other endof the jaw members for moving the jaw elements toward and away from eachother.

5. An apparatus as stated in claim 4 wherein said moving means includesa driven cam member operatively disposed between said other ends of thejaw members.

6. An apparatus as stated in claim 5 wherein a cam follower is providedon each of said other ends of said jaw members for cam engagement withsaid driven cam member.

7. An apparatus for continuously forming a helical brush means includinga preassembled brush strip means, comprising: means for directing at aselected rate of movement said brush strip means into a curved path ofselected radius; means for forming a plurality of opposed spacedindentations in said brush strip means while said brush strip means ismoving in said curved path; and means for directing said brush stripmeans along a continuation of said curved path to form a helix.

8. In an apparatus for continuously forming a helical brush means from abrush strip means including a channellike base member, a generallyuniform layer of bristles extending from said base member and a retainerelement for said bristles within said base member, the combination of: arotatable mandrel; means for longitudinally moving said brush stripmeans onto said mandrel at a selected continuous rate of movement; meansalongside said mandrel for forming a plurality of opposed spacedindentations in said base member while said brush strip means continuesits movement around said mandrel; and means adjacent said mandrel andopposite said indentation forming means for directing 'said brush stripmeans on said mandrel surface to form a helical brush means.

9. In an apparatus for continuously forming a helical brush means from abrush strip means including a channellike base member, a layer ofbristles extending from said base member, and a retainer element forsaid bristles within said base member, the combination of: a framemeans; a rotatably driven mandrel supported on the frame means; meansfor connecting one end of said brush strip means to said mandrel forpulling said brush strip means into coils on said mandrel; meansincluding oppositely movable members for forming indentations in sidewalls of said base member at spaced intervals in the first turn of saidcoils and in timed relation with respect to rotation of the mandrel; andmeans on the base frame for advancing said mandrel axially for axiallyspacing adjacent turns of said coil.

10. In an apparatus for forming a helical brush means from a brush stripmeans including a channel-like base member having side walls withlongitudinal edge portions to which inwardly directed forces have beenapplied for frictional grasping of a layer of bristles carried by saidbase member, the combination of: means including a rotatable mandrel formoving and drawing said brush strip means into a curved path on asurface of the mandrel at a continuous selected rate of speed; meansalongside said rotatable mandrel for intermittently forming spacedindentations in longitudinal edge portions of said side walls; and meansfor slowly advancing said rotatable mandrel axially with respect to saidindentation forming means while continually pulling said brush stripmeans onto said mandrel.

11. In an apparatus for forming a helical brush means having achannel-like base member with side walls having edge portions, a layerof filaments folded in said base member and a retainer element for saidfilaments within the base member, the combination of: means forlongitudinally moving said base member, filaments and retainer elementinto a curved path at a selected continuous rate of movement; means forfirst deforming said edge portions to provide a stressed zone forclamping said filaments; means for forming a plurality of spacedindentations in each edge portion at said stressed zone while said basemember filaments and retainer element continue their movement in saidcurved path; and means for directing said indented twice stressedassembled base member, filament and retainer element along acontinuation of said curved path to form a helical brush means.

No references cited.

GRANVILLE Y. CUSTER, 111., Primary Examiner.

1. AN APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY FORMING A BRUSH MEANS INCLUDINGHELICALLY DISPOSED BRUSH STRIP MEANS COMPRISING: A ROTATABLE MANDRELMEANS ADAPTED TO BE FED A PREFORMED BRUSH STRIP MEANS FOR WINDING OF THEBRUSH STRIP MEANS THEREAROUND; INDENTATION FORMING MEANS AT ONE SIDE OFSAID MANDREL MEANS AND INCLUDING A PAIR OF OPPOSED JAW ELEMENTS ADJACENTSAID BRUSH STRIP MEANS AND SPACED FROM THE INITIAL POINT OF CONTACT OFSAID BRUSH STRIP MEANS WITH SAID MANDREL MEANS; MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTINGSAID JAW ELEMENTS FOR CRIMPING MOVEMENT IN A LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION WITHRESPECT TO SAID MANDREL MEANS; MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTING THE JAW ELEMENTSFOR MOVEMENT IN UNISON IN THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL OF THE BRUSH STRIPMEANS; AND MEANS FOR INTERMITTENTLY ACTUATING SAID JAW ELEMENTS FORINDENTING SAID BRUSH STRIP MEANS AT SPACED INTERVALS.